


If At First You Don't Succeed

by Wle0416



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst comes first, Boys In Love, Brief Forrest Long, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Malex Cupid 2021, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:00:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29382417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wle0416/pseuds/Wle0416
Summary: Michael forgets Valentine's Day and tries to make it up to Alex, but things don't go as planned.Dialogue prompt: “I just wanted a chance to look at the stars with you.”
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 6
Kudos: 57
Collections: Malex Cupid 2021





	If At First You Don't Succeed

Michael was doing his best to put on a brave face, but he knew it came across as more strangled than anything else.

Alex was only a few inches away from him in the Explorer, but it felt like they were miles apart. They hadn’t said a word since they’d left Alex’s house, the last words spoken between them a brittle ‘Fine’ courtesy of Alex who said it as he walked out the front door, turning his back on Michael.

It all started that morning when a grumpy Michael forgot it was Valentine’s Day.

He’d woken up exhausted from a twelve-hour shift at the junkyard the day before that had left him too tired to do more than drive to Alex’s, shower, grab a bowl of cereal and pass out before Alex even got home from work.

He was off that Sunday, and he wanted to sleep in and stay tangled up in bed with Alex for hours, but he was awoken by the sound of music and the smell of pancakes wafting through the house. It wasn’t the worst wake-up call, but it just caught Michael off-guard, and his first reaction was annoyance instead of gratitude.

“Jesus, Michael. I get it,” Alex said brusquely after Michael gave him an earful about turning the music down. “Why don’t you just go back to bed.”

Michael sank into a seat at the kitchen table filled with pancakes, sausage, and a variety of cut-up fruits. “You went through all this trouble. What’s the occasion?”

Alex had been busying himself making a cup of coffee, but he stopped his stirring to glare at Michael from across the kitchen. “You’re serious?”

Michael grabbed a nearby plate and loaded it with multiple pancakes and strawberries before shrugging. “I asked, didn’t I.”

“It’s Valentine’s Day, Michael.”

“Fuck.” Michael meant to whisper it, but it came out much louder.

“Yeah. Fuck,” Alex responded softly before leaving the kitchen and heading to his office. Michael knew not to follow him when he heard the door slam.

He dropped his head into his hands and tried to figure out how he’d forgotten a day he and Alex had been discussing for weeks.

Work had been hell as of late, and especially that last week, Michael and Alex were much more like acquaintances than boyfriends. But they had discussed getting gifts and doing something romantic for their first Valentine’s Day as a couple.

It was cheesy, but they wanted to lean into the couple things they’d never gotten to do in the ten plus years of back and forth they’d endured. Michael had insisted on coming up with the night activity, while Alex was responsible for the daylight portion.

And weeks ago, Michael had bought a tent and was going to take Alex to a spot in the desert he and Max had found when they were teens, so they could stargaze, drink beers, make smores, and fall asleep in each other’s arms. It wasn’t much, but Michael knew that Alex was never into extravagant. His only request had been that he be able to wear jeans.

But the longer Michael sat at the table, the pancakes cold and unappealing, he realized that a camp-out wasn’t going to cut it anymore. Being as it was literally the day of the holiday, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get a reservation, but he knew someone else that could.

“Are you sure about this?” Isobel replied after Michael whisper yelled at her to call her girlfriend who owned the fancy Italian restaurant in town and get him a reservation for that evening.

“I messed up, Iz. I’ve got to do something,” Michael whined as he paced back and forth in the driveway.

“Yeah, but that place? You’re going to have to wear a tie.”

Michael was getting agitated, and he was hungry and still tired. “I can’t deal with twenty questions right now. I just really need this favor. I messed up, and I want to fix it.”

Isobel groaned. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“I owe you. Thank you.”

“You don’t owe me anything. Just have a good time tonight. You boys deserve it. I’ll text you the details.”

And sure enough, Isobel had come through with a seven-thirty reservation, and Michael started to feel like he was going to be able to turn the day around. But when he finally rapped on Alex’s office door around five and told him the plan, he wasn’t prepared for Alex’s icy demeanor.

“I had one rule. One rule. I wanted to be comfortable. And now you’re telling me I have to wear a tie?” Alex spat the words out, and Michael took a small step back like they were physically hitting him.

“This place has five stars, and Isobel said it has the best ravioli she’s ever had. And ravioli is your favorite, so I just thought this made a lot of sense for us.”

Alex turned his head away from the door to look back at his computer. “Yeah, okay. So, this isn’t some scheme you cooked up with Isobel in the last few hours to make up for forgetting about today?”

Michael loved and hated how well they knew each other. It had taken a long time to get there, but dammit if they didn’t know what the other was thinking at all times.

Like at that moment, Michael knew that Alex was on to him, and he was mad and a little bit sad, but he loved Michael and still wanted to salvage the day.

Michael left him to finish up his work, and he thought maybe things were improving and the day wouldn’t be ruined beyond repair. That was wishful thinking.

First, they both realized that Michael had failed to pick up the dry cleaning on his way home from work the night before, which meant Alex’s favorite dress shirt was not there. Then, Alex came barreling into the kitchen right as Michael was leaving with his cup of coffee, and they collided, which left hot coffee splayed across Alex’s light blue blazer and khakis.

From there, they moved in silence aside from Alex’s outburst after Michael asked him if he was ready to go.

Now, Michael was driving Alex’s truck into town, hoping that somehow good pasta and good wine would loosen Alex up to enjoy the evening.

As soon as he heard the engine’s sputter, he knew a horrible day was somehow going to get infinitely worse.

“Alex, how many times did I tell you to get that noise checked?” Michael asked, exasperated and pulling off the awful overly skinny-tie Isobel had gotten him years ago when she insisted they were the next big thing in fashion. His hands were greasy, and he knew there was no way he’d be able to get the car running that night without his tools.

“Gee, I’m sorry. I thought my mechanic boyfriend would check it for me one of these days,” Alex sputtered from Michael’s side.

“I told you to bring it to the shop. I don’t bring my tools home with me. And I’ve got a million other things on my plate.”

Alex barked out a laugh that echoed through the air. “Yeah, don’t I know it.”

Michael had done his best since that morning to keep his cool since he was the one that messed up, but his patience was waning. “Look, I made a mistake, Alex. I’m trying here.”

“You’re trying? Trying to do what exactly? Trying to drag me to a restaurant I don’t even want to go to, so you can feel better about the fact that you forgot what today was supposed to be!” Alex was practically yelling, and every word was hitting Michael square in the gut.

“You know I’m sorry, Alex. I know you know that.”

Michael could see the anger and hurt that had clouded Alex’s face since the breakfast debacle start to break. “I know Valentine’s Day is a commercial, Hallmark holiday. And every day is Valentine’s Day if you want it to be. But I just never had someone in my life on this day, and I just wanted a day with the man I love where we got to be cheesy and celebrate this stupid holiday together. You forgetting this morning after we’d talked about it so many times just hurt, Michael.”

“I love you more than anything, Alex,” Michael breathed out, moving in closer to Alex but stopping his greasy hands from making contact with Alex’s replacement blazer. “And I will make this up to you somehow. Let me call Sanders and see when he can get out here. Planet 7 is like a quarter mile up the road. We can grab a drink and wait.”

“What about the reservation?”

“Screw it. Let’s just do us.”

Alex smiled for the first time that day, and Michael placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

Sanders said it would take about an hour to get a tow out, so Michael and Alex took the ten-minute walk to the club and settled in at the bar when they got there. It was pretty dead, and they got a couple of beers without having to wait long.

Alex had let a lot of the tension invading his body out on the walk over, and he even held Michael’s hand once he’d cleaned them off with a rag and bottle of water Alex had in the trunk of his Explorer.

They’d settled into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, listening to the love songs filling up the small space. But that comfort was shattered when an old foe sauntered up to them.

“Manes!” Forrest Long beamed as he came upon Alex’s left side and gripped him on the shoulder.

Alex was visibly caught off-guard but recovered quickly and leaned into Forrest’s touch. “Forrest! Hey! How are you?”

“I’m good, I’m good,” Forrest said, still smiling at Alex like he hadn’t seen him in a while, which technically he hadn’t. He and Alex ended on good terms but never found a reason to stay in touch.

“Hey, Forrest,” Michael piped up, raising his hand to wave awkwardly.

The Long man finally noticed Michael was there and kept the same smile on his face. “Hey, Guerin. It’s good to see you. Good to see you both.”

“You, too,” Alex said just as a tall guy who looked like a modern-day Clark Kent, with perfectly styled jet black hair and wire-rimmed black glass came to tower over Forrest and lovingly put his arm over his shoulder.

Forrest looked up at the man absolutely smitten, and any irrational jealousy Michael may have felt festering low in his belly quickly dissolved.

“Alex and Michael, this is my boyfriend, Jeff!” Forrest exclaimed loudly.

“This is Alex and Michael? Wow. I feel like I’m meeting royalty or something.” Jeff was all wide-eyed and smiley as he looked back and forth to Alex and Michael.

“I don’t get it,” Alex said slowly and unsure.

“Forrest told me you guys have some epic love story that spans years. And he’s never seen two people with crazier chemistry than you two,” Jeff said with a laugh. “Until he met me, of course.”

Forrest seemed a little embarrassed by Jeff’s words, and his cheeks flushed. “Alright, alright, baby. It’s Valentine’s Day, so let’s get out of their hair. Always nice to see you, Alex. Take care, Michael.”

They started to retreat before Forrest turned back to address them both. “I’m glad you guys found your way back. Hang onto each other.”

Michael and Alex both nodded and bid the men adieu, watching them walk over to their table across the room before turning to each other and breaking out into a little fit of giggles.

“Running into your ex on Valentine’s Day has to be some kind of omen,” Alex said when his laughter started to die down. “This is officially one of the weirdest days I’ve had in a long time.”

Michael knew Alex was mostly joking, but his words sent a spark through Michael, and he thought of one last way he could save the day. 

He grabbed Alex’s hand and gently pulled him from his stool, leading him outside. Alex didn’t say anything, and neither did Michael, as the two walked a couple of blocks until they found themselves on the outskirts of the Roswell Pharmacy parking lot.

The parking lot had a beautiful view of the nearby desert, and many a night in high school, kids would loiter in the parking lot to watch the sunset and waste time.

There was a random little plot of grass with a small tree that backed up to the last row of parking spots, and Michael casually sat down on the dirt and pulled Alex on top of him, so his back was resting against his chest. They were far enough away from the few cars in the lot that it was mostly quiet, and the stars above were shining much brighter than Michael had seen them lately.

“Mmm. Stargazing in a parking lot,” Alex half-whispered, his hair tickling Michael’s cheek. “Now, this is more us.”

“You know, my actual plan for tonight was a camp-out. I just wanted a chance to look at the stars with you,” Michael said into the night. “It’s been so long since we’ve just gotten to be with each other like this.”

“That would have been perfect, Michael. Why did you try to bring me to some fancy restaurant instead?”

Michael sighed and kissed the top of Alex’s head. “Because I messed up, and I panicked. I feel sick about forgetting, Alex.”

Alex twisted around so he could place a simple kiss on Michael’s slightly chapped lips. “You’ve been working yourself to the bone lately, Michael. I was mad this morning because I was thinking about myself and my disappointment. But I don’t like you working yourself so hard that you can’t keep up with what day it is.”

“You had every right to be mad. This has been on the calendar for a long time, and I need to do better. You and me, our relationship, is my top priority. And I don’t want you ever to doubt that. I’ve just been wanting to save money, you know? For our future.”

“I know that. And I appreciate how hard you work. But I need you to take care of yourself, okay?”

Michael grinned and pulled Alex in tighter. “I will. God, I am so in love with you. Do you have any idea?”

Alex wiggled around on Michael’s lap, causing a low moan to escape his lips. “I may have some idea.”

In one quick movement and with the help of his TK, Michael rolled Alex over, so his back was on the grass, and Michael was straddling him, causing Alex to laugh rather boisterously.

“You’re just trying to ruin all my clothes today, huh?”

“Just something else to take to the cleaners,” Michael said with a smirk. “It’s time for your gift.”

Alex quirked his eyebrows up. “Should we wait until we get home?

“It’s not that kind of gift, unfortunately,” Michael began before taking a deep breath and pulling a small white box out of his pocket. “It’s not much.”

Michael shifted off Alex’s lap to sit up properly, and the two men sat shoulder to shoulder. Alex opened the box’s lid and stared at the necklace inside for a solid twenty seconds before Michael spoke back up.

“Uh, that’s an A and an M. As in Alex and Michael. I know it’s corny, so please don’t feel like you have to wear it.”

Alex pulled the necklace out and handed it to Michael. “Will you put it on me?”

Michael grinned shyly and carefully clasped the necklace around Alex’s neck. “It looks great.”

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

“Your gift is at home, I’m sorry.”

Michael shrugged. “Stop—no need to be sorry. We’ll get back to your place eventually. Which reminds me, let me call Sanders and see what his ETA is.”

Before he could reach for his phone, Alex covered his hands with his own and pulled them into his chest. “I got you that pillow you saw on that infomercial the other week. Can you just move in with me? Can we just make it official?”

Michael squeezed Alex’s hands as his eyes widened and his lips curled up into a toothy grin. “For real?”

“For real. I’m hanging onto you.”

Michael leaned forward and kissed Alex hard, their lips opening freely to one another. “Yes! Yes! Of course.”

They hugged each other tightly, and Michael let himself cry a little bit into Alex’s sullied jacket. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Alex.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Michael. Let’s do it again next year.”

**Author's Note:**

> I did this on the fly and I'm not totally in love with it, but I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading! 😀


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